


Patron

by JessKo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 17:58:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18504151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessKo/pseuds/JessKo
Summary: “Hmm…” Thrawn mused, hand raising to his chin as he took in the painting before him.“Not bad, but the eye color is not quite right. It needs to be more of a sienna tone as opposed to umber.”Or, Thrawn seriously misses his aide and commissions out works of him, so the next time Eli comes visiting he is in for quite the surprise.





	Patron

**Author's Note:**

  * For [moariel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moariel/gifts).



> Thanks for Wukeskywalker for letting me go wild with their Tumblr prompt idea. This was quite a fun little one shot!

The Ithorian presented the work with a grunt, the Chiss before her assessing the painting.

“Hmm…” Thrawn mused, hand raising to his chin as he took in the painting, about four feet high and set on a wooden board of sorts. Normally, his goal would be to extract some forgotten detail of a species’ culture, but today there was a different goal.

“Not bad, but the eye color is not quite right. It needs to be more of a sienna tone as opposed to umber.”

Nodding knowingly, the artist set the wood panel back on the easel and drew a brush, layering the desired tone over the irises of the being she created a portrait of. After a bit of adjusting, the Ithorian was satisfied and stepped back so that her patron could look over the addition.

“Yes, that is better. Thank you, that will be all.”

With a curt bow, the Ithorian applied a drying agent to the work, and wrapped it in coarse cloth so that it could be transported safely.

Returning to his quarters aboard the Chimaera, Thrawn hung his new painting on the wall alongside many similar works, smiling softly to himself. The buzzing of his comm link cut his joy short, however.

“Yes?” He asked, not allowing his irritation to seep into the tone of his voice.

“Grand Admiral, someone is here to see you.”

“Who exactly-“

Thrawn was cut off by his call ending on its own and another patching itself through. “Howdy! Been a while, hasn’t it? Get your butt into the hangar bay before Ar’Alani changes her mind about letting me have a bit of leave, alright?”

Gasping, Thrawn strode out of his office. “Of course, I will be there momentarily.” This time, it was excitement that he had to keep in check, anticipation buzzing through his bones as he made his way to the hangar bay.

Their initial reunion was curt and professional, Eli bowing to Thrawn who returned the gesture before offering to walk the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force officer to his office to meet. Eli strode a pace behind the Grand Admiral as they walked, perhaps a force of habit from the many times he walked this path before while serving as Thrawn’s aide.

Ushering Eli into his office, Thrawn dismissed the trooper guard that accompanied him and shut the door behind them.

“Still collecting art, hm?” Eli asked, noting the reptilian sculpture and graffitied wall segments strewn about the office.

“Yes, it is very important to my strategies.”

“I know. And you know that I’m not here for any of this.” Eli gestured around him. “I don’t see a bed.”

Thrawn smiled softly. “Of course, right this way. There is a private passageway to my quarters.”

Leading the human through a narrow passage, Thrawn opened the back entry into his spacious accommodations. Stepping forwards, Thrawn nearly crashed right into the human who stood stock-still before him.

“Uh, Thrawn…” Eli muttered, taking the sight before him in.  

Moving to the side of Eli, Thrawn realized what might be holding the human up. Nearly every square inch of space was taken up by paintings, sculptures, and other forms of art work. But this was to be expected. It was their subjects that was less than ordinary. Thrawn froze, would Eli be upset by this?

Eli exhaled with a low whistle. “Boy, someone has missed me.” Eli noted, stepping forwards to a painting, the newest addition of the day. “My eyes are more of an umber tone, don’t you think? And you really do flatter me, but I’ve never been that toned in my life.” Eli chucked, and Thrawn’s expression of fear softened to relief.

“Oh, my apologies. It seems my memory has failed me.”

“It’s alright, sorry you had to uh, settle for imitations instead of the real deal.” Eli joked, running a hand along a mosaic table. He could have sworn the surface showed an abstraction of a place he had been, but could not quite pin down the locale.  

“Well, you are here now, yes?”

“For a bit, yeah. Let’s not waste a moment.”

The next thing Thrawn knew, his uniform was tossed aside, and he sat on his bed, Eli laid across his lap as he lounged against the bedframe, commenting on the small flaws in a statue that sat in the corner of the room as he caught his breath after a very exciting time was had. This was a statue Eli had been so kind as to dress in his own CEDF uniform a bit prior. “See how the shoulders are too wide for the tunic? It shouldn’t fit like that.” Eli noted as Thrawn ran cool fingers through unruly hair. “I do appreciate the… enhancement down below, but honestly part of me wants to be offended…” Eli jested, noting an obvious bulge pressing against tailored pants.

When Eli had arrived, his grown-out locks had been pulled back into a complex bun but now they hung freely, just long enough to tickle the man’s collarbone. Thrawn made a note to himself to call the Ithorian painter back in to adjust the eyes, and hair, of the new painting before leaving this sector.

“Stars I’ve missed this.” Eli blurted out, twisting his head around to look up at Thrawn’s own face. Thrawn leaned down to delicately kiss Eli’s cheek.

“I think it is quite obvious that you have been missed, my love.”

“No kidding. You know, before I leave, I’d like something to take back with me.”

“Anything.” Thrawn replied, playfully serious as he pulled Eli closer still, the human now sitting atop of his lap.

“I want a little drawing of you.” Eli admitted, reaching behind him to wrap his arms around Thrawn. “Nothing quite as grand as what you have here, but something to remember you by. Can’t say I quite recalled the exact hue of your eyes either after so much time apart. Who knew there were so many shades of red…”

“I think I can arrange for this.” Thrawn stated, already thinking of just the person to call.

“Thanks, I knew I could count on you.” Eli turned himself around, pulling Thrawn down a bit to lay his face on the Chiss’ chest. “No enhancements though, I want to remember everything just as it is.”

“Oh, so one of those kinds of portraits?” Thrawn felt a slight blush tint his cheeks. Eli noticed the change of his heartbeat, which quickened.

“Don’t worry, it stays between us. I would die before I let it get on the holonet.”

Thrawn relaxed, tension he did not even notice had built up released. “Thank you, Eli.”

“Of course. Honestly it is the least you can do seeing that you’ve curated a museum of Vanto in here.”

“Fair enough.”


End file.
